Ron Slinker
Died March 28, 2008 of a liver disorder.
He was a real life martial arts expert and used this as his in ring gimmick.
He was a real life martial arts expert and used this as his in ring gimmick.
Slinker's liver problems were attributed to a lifetime of alcohol addiction. His son said he always tried to turn his life around, but just couldn't find the right path. David Jr. also noted that his father never brought his troubles home with him.
After he joined the Marines when he was just 17 years old, Slinker eventually earned a college degree from the University of Tampa and was a Tampa police officer for 10 years. He also appeared in the 1981 film Mr. No Legs, a kung-fu/action flick.
He held the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight championship and the NWA Florida Tag Team championship with Sgt. Rock in 1990. He also teamed with Kendall Windham, Ed Leslie (Brutus Beefcake) and Ron Bass. With Bass, the duo faced Andre the Giant and Dusty Rhodes at the NWA Mid-South Superdome Extravaganza on December 25, 1978, during a tournament to fill the vacant NWA United States Tag Team titles. Slinker and Bass lost.
Following his retirement during the early 1990s and after a run as Caribbean Junior Heavyweight champ, Slinker would manage Bass and Robert Fuller before becoming a promoter in Florida. It was there that Slinker met Rob Szatkowski and suggested he change his ring name to Rob Van Dam.
Slinker was also the stepfather of wrestler Dennis Knight, who worked as Mideon, Phineas I. Godwinn and Tex Slazenger. As well, Slinker was one of The Rock's original trainers when the Hollywood star was known as Flex Kavana in the USWA.
A second-degree black belt in judo and a sixth-degree black belt in Yoskukai (a Japanese style of contact fighting), Slinker also taught martial arts lessons to the public and to his family.
2 comments:
HE was one of the greatest influences in my life and taught me more than Karate. In 1976 Ron Slinker became my Sensei and taught me more than katas and technique. I just woke up from a sound sleep tonight and something told me to google Ron Slinker and now I found I was too late to show my respects at his funeral. However, for all of us that got to know him; he was an inspiration to many of us.
Danny Campos
Ron d slinker. Is and will b the greasts of all. I no how Ron lived for his last 8 yeasr of his life.I have wactb him throught his pain his wake up to his sleep .most people promble will be a sock but to me its a every day life.of liveing love u Ron.
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